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Los Angeles Dodgers: What you need to know about Matt Kemp’s hot start

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 09: Matt Kemp #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts to his groundball out with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on May 9, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 09: Matt Kemp #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts to his groundball out with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on May 9, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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Matt Kemp has re-winded the clock to 2011 and has been the best, most consistent hitter on the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Los Angeles Dodgers reacquired former MVP candidate Matt Kemp in what originally was viewed as a salary dump trade. And while that may have been the initial intent of the trade, it has proven to be so much more than that.

As the Los Angeles Dodgers build momentum towards a hot summer, one bat has cracked every night at Chavez Ravine. Matt Kemp. While Kemp is not winning games alone, he has come up with some of the biggest hits of the season.

Just in the last ten days, Kemp has delivered three huge hits that arguably won the Dodgers the game. On May 19, Kemp doubled in two runs in the top of the ninth off of Sean Doolittle to give the Dodgers the 5-4 victory.

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On May 25th, the Dodgers won 4-1, the only offense coming off of two home runs. The first was a three-run shot in the first inning by Kemp, who amounted for three of the Dodgers’ five hits that night.

Finally, on Memorial Day Kemp laced a pinch-hit double into the left-center gap that plated Yasiel Puig to cut the Dodgers’ deficit to 4-3. This hit was the start of a rally which eventually led to a 5-4 Dodgers victory.

Kemp has been great. To many (including myself) he has proven himself to be the best hitter on the Dodgers. Here is everything you need to know about Kemp’s hot start.

  • Matt Kemp is fourth in the MLB (Third in NL) in batting average

Kemp currently boasts a .338 batting average on the 2018 season, good enough for fourth in the MLB. Ahead of Kemp is Mookie Betts, Scooter Gennett and Nick Markakis.

  • This is the second consecutive great month of May for Kemp

Prior to 2017, Matt Kemp had never hit above .300 in the month of May. Well, aside from the .400 batting average he had in five at-bats in May 2006.

In fact, this May is not as impressive as last May. Thus far, Kemp has a slash line of .345/.370/.506 this May. Last May, Kemp had a slash line of .357/.398/.548. Kemp finished with a .276 average overall last season, so Dodgers fan are hoping he does not repeat the downfall after May.

  • Matt Kemp leads qualified hitters in batting average with runners in scoring position

Matt Kemp is coming up clutch for the Los Angeles Dodgers and no statistic better represents that than his batting average with runners in scoring positions. With runners at either second or third, Kemp is hitting .447 with three home runs and 21 RBIs. He narrowly edges out Manny Machado (.439).

Not only is it runners in scoring position, though, it is with runners on base, period. Kemp is hitting .413 with runners on base. Not hitter with a better batting average has more than 45 at-bats with runners on base. Kemp has 63.

  • Matt Kemp has already posted a higher fWAR than he did on any team outside of LA

The Los Angeles Dodgers have played 53 games thus far this season, not even a third of the year. Kemp has appeared in 50 of those games. After just fifty games — according to FanGraphs — Kemp already has a higher Wins Above Replacement than he ever had outside of LA.

Kemp’s WAR is 1.2 as it currently stands through 50 games. The best mark he ever put up was in his first year with the Padres, a 1.0 WAR. On the Braves, Kemp had a 0.9 WAR in 2016 and a -0.5 WAR in 2017.

Kemp’s WAR in 2014 with the Dodgers was 2.5. This year, assuming he plays 150 games, he is on pace for 3.6 WAR. While the defense is definitely holding that number down, maybe he really is just meant to be a Dodger.

  • Matt Kemp demolishes the San Diego Padres

A large part of Matt Kemp’s success thus far may be the fact that he has faced off nine times with his former team, the San Diego Padres.

In 34 at-bats, Kemp is hitting .500 against the San Diego Padres with four home runs and 12 RBIs. Two-thirds of Kemp’s home runs have come against the Padres and so have 46 percent of his RBIs.

Next: Players of the Week, May 25

Unfortunately for Kemp, the Los Angeles Dodgers do not play the San Diego Padres again until July 9. However, Kemp’s overall numbers show that he can be the bat that leads the Dodgers out of the rut.

All statistics (Aside from fWAR) courtesy of ESPN.com.  

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